Words by Calef Brown
Illustrations by Leo Espinosa

Begun in the regular way.

Fun when they wander astray.

I recently created a suite of poems in which the first words or lines are from traditional nursery rhymes, then they go off in different directions. A detour implies that the traveler will eventually get where they’re going, so if the destination is a bit of whimsy and rhyme, most will find their way. But this metaphor may only go so far. Wandering vs. taking a detour. Would Diversions be a better choice? Maybe not. Finding the right title is difficult, whether for a poem, a novel, a painting, or a gathering of folderol. A few of the poems are inspired by wanting to engage with the poetic structure but replace the problematic content. Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, for example. That and the challenge of making it work with either the American or British pronunciation of “foyer.” Some in the collection are flights of fancy that riff on the silliness of the traditional poems, with twists and reconfigurations. Sing a Song of Sixpence is in that category. Others bring in contemporary elements and issues. Old Mother Hubbard takes this tack. Whether sweet, purely nonsensical, pithy, or with somewhat serious undertones and messages embedded, my intention is for these remixes to be appreciated by a wide audience, and also to be fun to read aloud.

Leo Espinosa’s charming approach to illustrating the collection is a perfect combination of vintage and contemporary. It was important to me that my versions not be dependent on knowledge of the originals to be enjoyed. They tell their own stories. However, in a published edition it might be nice to have a glossary at the end of the book with the related classic versions. Here are ten poems selected from the full collection of thirty-three, which is currently wandering (hopefully not astray) in search of a publisher.

DETOURS

Peter Peter

Peter Peter
sugar eater
candy lover
sweets enjoyer
found a toffee
in the foyer.
“Oh joy! Yay!”
He roared with glee.
And there he ate it.
Glory be.

The Lion and the Unicorn

The Lion and the Unicorn
had a little tussle.
The Unicorn sustained a bruise.
The Lion pulled a muscle.
The Lion and the Unicorn,
despite their recent scuffle,
agreed to join their pal The Pig
and help him find a truffle.

Three Little Kittens

Three little kittens
are lying in wait.
What for, exactly,
is up for debate.
“Bugs” says the first one
with confident ease.
The second says “birdies”,
while scanning the trees.
The third little kitten
is much less specific:
“Anything, really,
would just be terrific!”

Mary Mary

Mary Mary.
Clever, very.
Known for brilliant diction.
Very skilled,
at making cases –
splitting fact from fiction.
Unafraid to stir the pot,
or set a person straight.
Mary Mary.
Legendary.
Loves a good debate.

Sing a Song of Sixpence

Sing a song of sixpence.
Dinner and a movie.
One and seven noisy crows
frozen in a smoothie.

When the drink had set awhile
and all the birds were thawed,
they gathered in a cherry tree
and cawed and cawed and cawed.

Rock-a-Bye Baby

Rock a bye baby, on the tree top,
it’s only a dream, so don’t scream if you drop.
Your cradle will morph and sprout wings in mid-air.
And upward you’ll soar with the wind in your hair.

Georgie Porgie

Georgie Porgie 
custard and cake
was more than the kids at school could take.
“For goodness sake!” they pleaded, “chill!”
Take a hike or climb a hill!
Or go and play your sousaphone,
but kindly leave the girls alone!”

Old Mother Hubbard

Old Mother Hubbard
went to the cupboard,
and there she discovered
a surly muskrat
using her crock pot
as a hot tub.
“I think not, bub,”
she told him flatly.
“#whatever” he muttered,
“don’t @ me.”

Bingo

There was a farmer
who had a dog,
and Bingo was his name.
Also, by coincidence,
the doggy’s favorite game.
For every number on his card
he loudly started barking.
The caller wouldn’t let him win
or validate his parking.

Pussycat Pussycat

“Pussycat Pussycat
where have you been?”
“I’ve been to Machu Picchu.”
“How did you get there
and what did you see?
Tell me, I beseech you!”

“Upward I climbed
for a day and a week.
Here’s what appeared
as I rounded a peak:
A citadel perched
on a pinnacle high.
I longed to remain there
and live in the sky.”

text © Calef Brown 2023 
illustrations © Leo Espinosa 2023

Calef Brown is a New York Times best selling author and illustrator of thirteen picture books, including Polkabats and Octopus Slacks, Flamingos on the Roof – Winner of a Myra Cohn Livingston Award, Hypnotize a Tiger – Winner of a Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Award, and most recently, Up Verses Down. Kirkus Reviews called him “A modern master of nonsense verse”. He has also illustrated the work of a variety of authors, including James Thurber, Daniel Pinkwater, Edward Lear, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Brown’s illustrations have also appeared in Time, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. See more of his work at calefbooks.com.

Leo Espinosa is an award-winning Illustrator and Designer from Bogotá, Colombia, whose work has been featured internationally in a variety of publications, products, animated series and gallery shows. His short list includes The New Yorker, The New York Times, the BBC, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Chronicle Books, Swatch, and Facebook. Leo’s work has been recognized by The Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Communication Arts, and 3×3. In 2019, he received the Pura Belpré Honor Book award for Islandborn, from the American Library Association. The New York Times bestselling children’s book was written by Pulitzer Prize winner, Junot Díaz. Most days you’ll find him drawing picture books, unless he’s out riding his bike in the mountains around Salt Lake City, where he lives with his wife. See more of his work at studioespinosa.com.